


Dragonet

by yeaka



Series: Neon Tetra [6]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Animal Ears, Animal Traits, Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 01:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13377111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Noctis shows Prompto the gardens.





	Dragonet

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is set in the same AU as some other ficlets wherein hybrid cat!Prom is Noctis’ pet from Niflheim, but it’s stand-alone and you don’t need to read them for this.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy XV or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

The palace gardens are a paradise, which Prompto darts about to take in every detail—every ripe scent and floral masterpiece. He has to resist sinking his claws into the tall trees and scrambling up for a better look. He doesn’t want to scratch anything, doesn’t want to tarnish the beauty. He wanders back to Noctis’ side, proclaiming, “This place is _gorgeous!_ ”

“And great for hiding,” Noctis answers, grinning wryly. Prompto just smiles in return, even though he’d never have the courage to avoid royal appointments like Noctis does. He knows now that Noctis doesn’t often attend his father’s meetings, which Prompto figures is well enough: they first met at one of those, and Prompto’s selfish enough to not want Noctis to be offered up any other Niflheim experiments. He thinks he can be a good enough pet on his own. He keeps his prince’s secrets, and he vows to never give Noctis away.

He trails off again, this time careful to keep quiet, until a light splash captures his attention. Then he races for it, around the carefully trimmed bushes to a little pond lined with smooth, shimmering stones, and he falls to his knees in instant delight. The pond is shallow, the water clear, and the radiant sunlight slips over the iridescent forms of several colourful fish. Prompto can’t even remember the last time he saw a live fish. He forgot how mesmerizing their swimming was. He ogles them in pure fascination, caught in growing hunger and a general admiration of nature at its finest. 

He hears Noctis’ footsteps trampling the grass, but for once, he doesn’t look up. A bright blue creature with vivid orange markings and an array of frilled fins has captured Prompto’s attention. Noctis is, of course, every bit as beautiful, but Prompto eyes him up all the time, and Prompto’s never seen fish like these. He can sense Noctis crouching down beside him, and Noctis tells him smoothly, “Sorry, but you’re not allowed to eat these ones.”

Prompto groans in exaggerated distress, because that _is_ a shame, but he wouldn’t have tried it anyway—he would never dream of eating _Noctis’ things._ Not unless Noctis expressly let him. Noctis is quiet for a moment, then suggests, “We could go elsewhere, though, to fish properly. With a rod, I mean, although you’re welcome to sit on the dock and swipe at them yourself.”

Prompto snaps back to Noctis, eyes going wide. Noctis is smiling mildly, but he doesn’t look like he’s teasing, and that’d be so _cruel_ , crueler than he thinks Noctis is, to tease about something so wonderful. Prompto can barely manage a breathless: “Really?”

“Yeah.” Noctis nods like it’s no big deal. “To be honest, Fishing’s sort of a hobby of mine. I think I could catch you a few treats.”

Prompto knew it. He _knew_ Noctis was crazy talented—not just because he could knock down such a big guy like Gladio in training, or beat Prompto so soundly at King’s Knight, or quip so smartly with Ignis: _he can catch fish._ And he’s kind enough to give them to Prompto. Prompto’s so impressed that he doesn’t know that what to do with himself.

He settles on gushing, “You’re so cool!” And throwing himself into Noctis’ arms. He latches onto Noctis’ neck, body arching into Noctis’ chest, legs spreading wide to fit them as closely together as possible. He can feel Noctis’ cheek heating up against his, and Prompto just hugs him harder. Noctis is clearly the best thing in the universe. 

He has to gently detangle Prompto, lightly pushing Prompto off, and Prompto settles back where he was. He makes an effort to look back at the fish again, because Noctis’ already attractive features are now flushed a flattering shade of pink, and Prompto knows that if he stares into Noctis’ sharp eyes too long, he’ll get irreparably lost. And it would be ungrateful, to keep wanting _more_ , to want things he can’t have, when he’s already been given so much. So he tries to focus on the pond instead. Between the fish and Noctis, Prompto can hear himself purring. 

He sighs whimsically, “I wish I could see these from the bedroom. Even if I can’t taste them, they’re nice to look at.”

Noctis grunts, “Yeah,” and then shifts, so that Prompto looks over at him again. He pulls something out of the pockets of his pants, and Prompto thinks it’s a phone, though it doesn’t look like Noctis’. Noctis shuffles over, positioning himself behind Prompto, which makes Prompto purr louder and lean back into the warmth. “Almost forgot about this,” Noctis explains, passing the new phone into Prompto’s hands. “I had Ignis pick it up for you so we could play King Knight properly. But you can use it to take a picture of the pond, too.”

Amazed, Prompto stares at the little device, and he breathes, “Wow,” before hurriedly correcting, “Thanks, Noct!” He doesn’t know how to take pictures with a phone—barely knows how to do _anything_ with a phone—but what matters is that _Noctis got it for him._ Noctis keeps his arms around Prompto’s thinner frame, and he directs Prompto into place, guiding each of his fingers into different positions. Prompto submits, until Noctis seems satisfied and clicks a little button on the top.

The screen blinks to life. So close to his ear that Prompto can _feel it_ , Noctis murmurs, “I’ll show you how.” Prompto licks his lips and tries to focus in. 

Noctis clicks a few buttons, then lifts Prompto’s arms a little up and to the left, following one of the larger fishes. Prompto watches Noctis expertly frame it in the center of the screen. Then he taps a tiny icon in the corner, just above where Prompto’s thumb is resting, and the picture zooms in, highlighting new details and the slick glimmer of the fish’s exotic coat. Noctis asks, low and husky, “Ready?”

Prompto nods. There’s something magical about the moment. When Noctis clicks a new button, a flash goes off, and Prompto’s left with a screenshot of the memory, forever frozen in time.

It’s perfect. Noctis drags the picture down into a little folder, moving it solely with a fingertip, and the phone is again like clear glass, showing off the pond before them. Noctis withdraws his hands enough to let Prompto’s take over the buttons, but his arms stay around Prompto, bracing Prompto in place. Prompto’s a quick learner and repeats the move, taking a second picture, and then a third. Before the forth, he pauses. 

The three photographs are lovely and mouth-watering. But they’re only a small part of what makes the moment _special_ , and Prompto tentatively asks, “Can I take one of you?”

Noctis says, “Sure,” in that usual, casual drawl, but it’s like a whole new present to Prompto. He squirms in Noctis’ grasp, flattening his back as tightly against Noctis’ chest as possible, and he leans his face against Noctis’, framed by Noctis’ broader shoulders. He holds the phone way out, facing it back at them, and smiles wide. He hopes Noctis is smiling too.

He snaps the picture. When he brings it back up to view, Noctis is thinly grinning. He looks like a super cool owner, absurdly handsome and photogenic, clearly pleased with the pet in his arms. Prompto stares at the screen, stomach abuzz like it’s full of tiny fish. 

He likes taking pictures. And he _loves_ his new life. He snaps another surprise one of Noctis, then gets up to traipse about the garden, committing everything to film.


End file.
